Dili to Darwin
Connecting Skills Across the Timor Sea - brings key stakeholders together to build a par
The Dili to Darwin (D2D) Skills Initiative by AVM Group took an important step forward on 4th September 2026 with a launch event in Dili bringing together representatives from government, industry, development organisations, industry advisory bodies, training institutions and the wider community from Timor-Leste and the Northern Territory.
The launch event marked a significant progression for an initiative designed to explore a practical and coordinated workforce pathway between two neighbouring markets with increasingly complementary needs.
David Freedman of the World Bank delivered the keynote address, with senior representatives from both Timor-Leste and the Northern Territory contributing to discussions around workforce demand, skills development, industry preparation and the framework required to turn opportunity into a sustainable pathway.
For AVM Group, which has been developing the Dili to Darwin proposition as proponent, investor and delivery coordinator, the launch represented an important shift from developing the concept to bringing the broader stakeholder ecosystem together around it. Governments retain their policy and regulatory responsibilities, employers their recruitment decisions, and industry and training partners bring the expertise required to make the pathway work.
A workforce opportunity with a larger purpose
At its heart, the Dili to Darwin (D2D) Skills Initiative by AVM Group starts with a practical reality.
The Northern Territory needs workers with the skills and workplace readiness required by its employers. Timor-Leste has a young population with significant potential to develop skills for opportunities both domestically and internationally.
The opportunity is to connect those two realities responsib
The model discussed in Dili begins not with the availability of workers, but with genuine employer demand in the Northern Territory. From there, suitable candidates can be identified and prepared in Timor-Leste through practical, industry-aligned training incorporating English capability, workplace readiness, safety and an understanding of worker rights.
The Dili to Darwin (D2D) Skills Initiative by AVM Group is not conceived simply as a mechanism for moving people from one labour market to another. Its larger purpose is to create skills, employment and economic value on both sides of the Timor Sea.
